Deion Sanders putting COLORADO on THE MAP ON & off the FIELD
159Deion Sanders putting COLORADO on THE MAP ON & off the FIELD
#coachprime #DeionSanders #coloradofootball
BOULDER — Deion Sanders, known as "Prime Time" during his Hall of Fame playing career and has since transitioned into "Coach Prime," has been named the 28th full-time head football coach at the University of Colorado, athletic director Rick George announced Saturday evening.
Sanders, 55, joins the CU program from Jackson State University (Jackson, Miss.), where in three seasons the Tigers compiled a 27-5 record and won back-to-back Southwestern Athletic Conference championships competing on the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level; that mark includes a 12-0 record this season. Jackson State defeated Southern, 43-24, in the SWAC title game on Saturday.
"There were a number of highly qualified and impressive candidates interested in becoming the next head football coach at Colorado, but none of them had the pedigree, the knowledge and the ability to connect with student-athletes like Deion Sanders," George said. "Not only will Coach Prime energize our fanbase, I'm confident that he will lead our program back to national prominence while leading a team of high quality and high character."
At Jackson State, Sanders achieved tremendous success on and off the field as a fierce advocate for additional exposure and a level playing field for all Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Sanders brought national attention to HBCUs, pushing for opportunities to highlight its talent and the culture. In March 2022, Sanders held a Pro Day featuring athletes from four other schools in the state of Mississippi to provide a platform in front of 22 NFL teams and the Canadian Football League. In April 2022, Jackson State became the first HBCU to have its spring football game televised live nationally on ESPNU.
"Deion Sanders' stature transcends sports, and his hiring elevates not only the football program but the university as a whole," said CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano. "I'm thankful Deion has chosen to join our Buffalo family and I applaud Rick George for a truly inspired choice. This is an exciting new chapter in the long, storied history of Colorado football and I look forward to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our students, supporters and fans to cheer on "Coach Prime" and our student-athletes next fall."
Sanders first game as head coach for the Buffaloes will be next Sept. 2 at TCU, currently ranked third in the College Football Playoff standings. His first home games follow on Sept. 9 against long-time rival Nebraska, with in-state rival Colorado State on tap the following Saturday. Those two foes open the 100th season of CU's historic Folsom Field.
The "Coach Prime" docuseries from SMAC Productions will premiere later this month on Prime Video and cover Jackson State's undefeated season and Coach Prime's arrival in Colorado.
COACHING CAREER
Sanders was named the 21st head coach in Jackson State history on Sept. 21, 2020, but had to wait to coach his first game until COVID-19 restrictions were lifted and several FCS schools opted to play a delayed schedule in the spring. Exactly six months to the day later (Feb. 21, 2021), he led the Tigers to a 53-0 win over Edward Waters (Fla.) to begin the "Coach Prime Era." It was considered the touch point of the elevation of JSU football and the University into becoming one of the most impactful and recognizable brands nationwide.
JSU was 4-3 in the pandemic-delayed 2020 season before rolling to an 11-2 record in 2021, winning the SWAC title with a 27-10 win over Prairie View A&M in the title game. The Tigers lost to South Carolina State in the Celebration Bowl; otherwise their only other loss over his last 25 games was a 12-7 setback at FBS Louisiana-Monroe in Sept. '21.
Seven of his players on the 2021 JSU roster earned a professional opportunity in the NFL, CFL or USFL, including James Houston IV, who was drafted in the sixth round by the Detroit Lions. He also signed cornerback Travis Hunter, considered the top high school prospect in the nation, to an NLI in December 2021, the highest ranked prospect to ever sign with an HBCU or an FCS program.
Sanders was recently voted the SWAC's Coach of the Year for a second straight season; 12 of his players earned some level of All-SWAC honors. For the 2021 campaign, he also garnered honors for the FCS Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year, BOXTOTOW National Coach of the Year and Black College Hall of Fame Coach of the Year.